Effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non-volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue-cured tobacco

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is well-known as an economic crop whose quality is evaluated according to its aroma quality. Researchers have found that selenium application can increase the aroma quality of tobacco, but until now, its mechanism is still unclear. So a field experiment was conducted t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wanhui Jiang, Zijun Sun, Huaiyuan Li, Yaoxing Liang, Qihang Yang, Xin Yang, Lanjun Shao, Yuanyuan Wang, Jianjun Chen, Shiyuan Deng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1659004/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849228857491587072
author Wanhui Jiang
Zijun Sun
Huaiyuan Li
Yaoxing Liang
Qihang Yang
Xin Yang
Lanjun Shao
Yuanyuan Wang
Jianjun Chen
Shiyuan Deng
author_facet Wanhui Jiang
Zijun Sun
Huaiyuan Li
Yaoxing Liang
Qihang Yang
Xin Yang
Lanjun Shao
Yuanyuan Wang
Jianjun Chen
Shiyuan Deng
author_sort Wanhui Jiang
collection DOAJ
description Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is well-known as an economic crop whose quality is evaluated according to its aroma quality. Researchers have found that selenium application can increase the aroma quality of tobacco, but until now, its mechanism is still unclear. So a field experiment was conducted to investigate the regulatory effect of the trace element selenium on enhancing aroma substances in flue-cured tobacco leaves. We compared selenium content, aroma precursors, non-volatile organic acids (NVOAs) content, and neutral aroma substances in tobacco upper leaves that applying three selenium fertilizer types (sodium selenite, organic selenium and nano-selenium) with three levels of pure selenium application rates (5.24 g·hm-2, 10.48 g·hm-2, and 15.72 g·hm-2) through foliar spraying. The results showed that the neutral aroma substances and NVOAs content were significantly increased. Metabolomics analysis of NVOAs showed that biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathway was significantly enriched. This indicates that selenium application may be able to regulate the accumulation of phenylpropane degradation products by regulating these NVOAs involved in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathway. Selenium content was significantly positively correlated with phenylpropane degradation products, NVOAs content, and phenolic compounds, while pyruvate was significantly down-regulated in each selenium application treatment. Therefore, it was speculated that selenium application could enhance the conversion of pyruvate into the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathway. In summary, spraying organic selenium at 5.24–15.72 g·hm-2 or nano-selenium at 5.24–10.48 g·hm-2 could provide a suitable strategy for improving tobacco aroma quality.
format Article
id doaj-art-3a6793b2812c43f2a87b2770e018a60e
institution Kabale University
issn 1664-462X
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Plant Science
spelling doaj-art-3a6793b2812c43f2a87b2770e018a60e2025-08-22T14:03:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2025-08-011610.3389/fpls.2025.16590041659004Effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non-volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue-cured tobaccoWanhui Jiang0Zijun Sun1Huaiyuan Li2Yaoxing Liang3Qihang Yang4Xin Yang5Lanjun Shao6Yuanyuan Wang7Jianjun Chen8Shiyuan Deng9College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, ChinaCenter for Basic Experiment and Practice Training, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, ChinaChina Tobacco Guangdong Industrial Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, ChinaChina Tobacco Guangdong Industrial Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, ChinaChina Tobacco Guangdong Industrial Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, ChinaChina Tobacco Guangdong Industrial Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, ChinaCenter for Basic Experiment and Practice Training, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, ChinaCollege of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, ChinaTobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is well-known as an economic crop whose quality is evaluated according to its aroma quality. Researchers have found that selenium application can increase the aroma quality of tobacco, but until now, its mechanism is still unclear. So a field experiment was conducted to investigate the regulatory effect of the trace element selenium on enhancing aroma substances in flue-cured tobacco leaves. We compared selenium content, aroma precursors, non-volatile organic acids (NVOAs) content, and neutral aroma substances in tobacco upper leaves that applying three selenium fertilizer types (sodium selenite, organic selenium and nano-selenium) with three levels of pure selenium application rates (5.24 g·hm-2, 10.48 g·hm-2, and 15.72 g·hm-2) through foliar spraying. The results showed that the neutral aroma substances and NVOAs content were significantly increased. Metabolomics analysis of NVOAs showed that biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathway was significantly enriched. This indicates that selenium application may be able to regulate the accumulation of phenylpropane degradation products by regulating these NVOAs involved in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathway. Selenium content was significantly positively correlated with phenylpropane degradation products, NVOAs content, and phenolic compounds, while pyruvate was significantly down-regulated in each selenium application treatment. Therefore, it was speculated that selenium application could enhance the conversion of pyruvate into the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathway. In summary, spraying organic selenium at 5.24–15.72 g·hm-2 or nano-selenium at 5.24–10.48 g·hm-2 could provide a suitable strategy for improving tobacco aroma quality.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1659004/fullseleniumflue-cured tobacconon-volatile organic acidsaroma precursors substanceneutral aroma substance
spellingShingle Wanhui Jiang
Zijun Sun
Huaiyuan Li
Yaoxing Liang
Qihang Yang
Xin Yang
Lanjun Shao
Yuanyuan Wang
Jianjun Chen
Shiyuan Deng
Effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non-volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue-cured tobacco
Frontiers in Plant Science
selenium
flue-cured tobacco
non-volatile organic acids
aroma precursors substance
neutral aroma substance
title Effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non-volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue-cured tobacco
title_full Effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non-volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue-cured tobacco
title_fullStr Effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non-volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue-cured tobacco
title_full_unstemmed Effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non-volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue-cured tobacco
title_short Effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non-volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue-cured tobacco
title_sort effects of different selenium fertilizer types and dosages on non volatile organic acids and aroma substances of flue cured tobacco
topic selenium
flue-cured tobacco
non-volatile organic acids
aroma precursors substance
neutral aroma substance
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1659004/full
work_keys_str_mv AT wanhuijiang effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT zijunsun effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT huaiyuanli effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT yaoxingliang effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT qihangyang effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT xinyang effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT lanjunshao effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT yuanyuanwang effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT jianjunchen effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco
AT shiyuandeng effectsofdifferentseleniumfertilizertypesanddosagesonnonvolatileorganicacidsandaromasubstancesoffluecuredtobacco